Ithaca,
N.Y.; March 7, 2019. New York Sea Grant (NYSG) is among the most recent
recipients of support from the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) for its
work to support lake sturgeon recovery efforts in New York and lead
outreach and education programs to inspire appreciation for this
prehistoric freshwater fish and state Threatened Species.

The
fund has been supporting local efforts around the world aimed at saving
wildlife, inspiring action, and protecting the planet with more than
$75 million distributed to nonprofit organizations since 1995.

Lake
sturgeon was once abundant in New York, but populations began to
decline in the mid-1800s, largely as a result of overharvest, dam
construction, and habitat degradation. The fishery was closed in 1976
and lake sturgeon were designated a New York State Threatened Species in
1983.

Additionally,
lake sturgeon are listed by the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) as a Species of Greatest
Conservation Need and considered a priority species for recovery in New
York. Today, it is illegal to possess lake sturgeon or target them while
fishing in New York.

The
fish is also considered a species of cultural significance to the
Mohawks of Akwesasne and other Haudenosaunee Nations surrounding the
Lake Ontario, Niagara River and St. Lawrence River watersheds.
Indigenous peoples in these regions have a long history of subsistence
fishing of lake sturgeon. Tribal nations are a key partner in
conservation and education outreach efforts for this species.

Over
the next two years, Disney support of the “Inspiring Lake Sturgeon
Conservation” project will help NYSG and its partners address portions
of more than half of the three dozen statewide recovery actions
identified in the New York State Lake Sturgeon Recovery Plan. Partners,
including NYSDEC, USFWS-New York, New York Sturgeon for Tomorrow, USGS,
and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) Environment Division, will offer
invaluable expertise in research, outreach, education, and extension.

“Support
from the Disney Conservation Fund will help increase awareness about
lake sturgeon and the challenges they face as a Threatened Species in
New York. Lake sturgeon populations are showing signs of recovery, and
we want to encourage that recovery,” said project leader Dr. Jesse M.
Lepak, Ph.D., New York Sea Grant’s Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem
Health Extension Specialist, Ithaca, N.Y.

Recent
DCF-funded projects were selected based on their efforts to implement
comprehensive community wildlife conservation programs, stabilize and
increase populations of at-risk animals, and engage communities in
conservation in critical ecosystems around the world.

New
York Sea Grant, a cooperative program of Cornell University and the
State University of New York, is one of 33 university-based programs
under the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration. Through its statewide network of integrated
services, NYSG has been promoting coastal vitality, environmental
sustainability, and citizen awareness about the State’s marine and Great
Lakes resources since 1971. For updates on New York Sea Grant
activities, www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube links.